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Arven (The Inheritance) Ratings & Reviews Explanation

Arven (The Inheritance)
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A man is torn between love, family, and a responsibility he does not want in this drama. Christoffer (Ulrich Thomsen) used to work for his family's steel company, but when the stress of the job began taking a serious toll on his health, he left the firm and now happily runs a restaurant in Stockholm and is married to Maria (Lisa Werlinder), a lovely and promising stage actress. At the urging of his father, Christoffer flies to Denmark for a family visit, only to discover upon arrival that his dad has just killed himself. Christoffer quickly discovers why: the steel business is on the verge of collapse and his mother (Ghita Nørby) urges him to take over rather than let his brother-in-law Ulrik (Lars Brygmann) assume control. Christoffer reluctantly agrees, but before long, his decision begins to drive a wedge between himself and Maria, while his difficulty in reviving the failing business forces him to deal honestly with his employees in a manner he's not accustomed to, as well as dealing with the uncomfortable points of corporate power. Arven (aka The Inheritance) is the second part of a trilogy by director Per Fly on the three primary social classes, following his 2000 debut Bænken.

So much of this Danish-Swedish import is so uninteresting that it quickly becomes a chore to sit through. And that's too bad, because the film has a lot to say about professional- vs.-personal life struggles.

Audience Reviews for Arven (The Inheritance)

Mar 31, 2006

[font=Century Gothic]In "The Inheritance", Christoffer(Ulrich Thomsen), a restauranteur, and Maria(Lisa Werlinder), an up-and-coming Shakespearean actress, are madly in love with each other while living the ideal life in Stockholm. Shortly after an impromptu visit from Christoffer's father, they learn that he has committed suicide. Upon their return to Copenhagen for the funeral, Christoffer's mother(Ghita Norby) asks him to become CEO of the family's struggling steel works, displacing his brother-in-law, Ulrik(Lars Brygmann), who has fifteen years of experience working there. Maria is none too thrilled at the idea of Christoffer's stewardship.(He had worked there previously but thoroughly hated the experience.) But he convinces her to stay and promises that it will only be for two years...[/font]
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[font=Century Gothic]"The Inheritance" is pretty much just a predictable corporate soap opera but there is enough compelling drama at its heart to make it worthwhile. The movie also does a very good at exploring the notion of familial responsibility and wonders at its limits on an individual. [/font]